Apparatus for pressing bricks or blocks.



v No. 7|0,74s. Patented Oct. 7, I902.

A. E. BLIZZABD &. H. Tonn.

APPARATUS FOR PRESSING BRIGK'S OR BLOCKS.

(Apfilication filed m 7, 1902.)

(No Model.)

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A. E. BLIZZARD & H. TODD.

APPARATUS FOR PRESSING BRICKS 0R BLOCKS.

'Application filed May 7, 1902.)

(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 2.

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A. E. BLIZZABD & H. TQDD.

APPARATUS FOR PRESSING BRICKS 0R BLOCKS.

(Application filed May 7, 1902.)

(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 3,

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- No. 710,743. Patented 0m. 7, I902. A. E. BLIZZABD & H. TODD.

APPARATUS FUR PBESSIHG BRlCKS 0R BLOCKS.

(Application filed May 7, 1902.1 I

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALBERT EDWARD BLIZZARD AND HENRY TODD, OF NEWCASTLE, ENGLAND.

APPARATUS FOR PRESSING BRICKS OR BLOCKS SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 710,743, dated October 7, 1902.

Application filed May '7, 1902- Serial No. 106,246. No model.

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that we, ALBERT EDWARD BLIZZARD and HENRY TODD, subjects of the King of Great Britain, residing at Newcastle, in the county of Stafford, England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Pressing Bricks or Blocks, of which the following is a full and complete specification, such as will enable those skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The object of this invention is to provide an improved apparatus for use in the manufacture of bricks or blocks of clay or other material of any desired size and particularly designed for pressing said bricks or blocks by means of both top and bottom dies, so that the bricks or blocks are pressed by a more equal pressure on both sides, thus making a more solid block or brick. In order that this slow pressure shall not make any difference to the quantity of bricks pressed in a given time, the motion of the dies is divided into various speeds, first, a quick downward motion of both top and bottom dies carrying the brick into the box or mold, then a slow motion of both dies coming together, one rising and the other lowering, thus compressing the brick, then both dies rising to their first position, the top die rising quicker and travelingia greater distance, giving clearance for the replacing of the pressed brick'byone which has not been pressed. In case of special bricks, such as paving-bricks, requiring the edges of the dies to be raised the said table is so arranged that it supports the brick above the edges of the bottom die, allowing it to be removed without being damaged.

The invention is fully disclosed in the following specification, of which the accompanying drawings form a part, in which the separate parts of our improvement are designated by suitable reference characters in each of the views, and in which Figure l is a side elevation, partly in section, of a machine or apparatus embodying our invention; Fig. 2, a front view thereof; Fig. 3, a rear end view thereof, and Fig. i a plan view thereof. Fig. 5 is a view of details of the construction.

In the practice of our invention we provide a suitable framework for the support of the several parts of the apparatus or machine, the separate parts of which are designated in the drawings by the reference-numeral 25, and at the front of this frame is placed a table A, which is provided with a plurality of arms, which are four in number and designated by the reference characters T, T T and T. These arms cross each other, as shown, and have a rotary motion on said table A, and the table A is provided with openings of suitable size and shape to correspond to the position of the mold and conveyer. At

the center of each of these arms is secured a wedge, said wedges being designated by the reference characters Y, Y Y and Y re spectively, and said wedges are provided with downwardly-directed members, as shown in Fig. 1. We also provide a disk 1, havinga cup-shaped recess in the top thereof and into which the wedge-shaped members Y, Y Y and Y enter, as clearly shown in Fig. 1. Between the wedge-shaped members Y, Y Y

and Y" are placed springs 5 and 6, which serve to keep said wedge-shaped members apart, so as to cause them to engage closely with the sides of the recess in the top of the disk 1.

The table A is provided with a boss 3, which is held in position by a sleeve 4, and attached to the arms T, T T and T" and in connection with which said arms have a rotary motion, is a boss 22, which is free to turn and to which is attached a hollow spindle V, which passes through the boss 3 and which is secured to a ratchet device Z. Through the spindle V and having a free movement therein is passed a rod X, secured to the disk 1 and provided at its lower end with a head and spring 7, which normally op erate to force the disk 1 downwardly when the latter is not in use, and also a lever 30, (shown in Fig. 2,) which is operated to drive the moving disk upwardly when necessary. Vfe also provide a regulator 8, composed of a bolt mounted in a casing and provided with a spring and constructed tooperate upon a boss 22, so as to retard or prevent a too great movement of said boss and the arms T, T T and T which are secured thereto. A

mold B is also provided in which the bricks or blocks are pressed together by upper and lower dies G and G which operate in said mold, as hereinafter described, and these dies are secured to carriers U and U operating in guides secured to a vertically-movable bar G, and these carriers are attached at their ends by means of pivoted devices 42 to levers D and Diwhich are secured in a pivotal manner to the bar G. The lower pivotal device 42 is connected directly with the lever D while the upper pivotal device l2 consists of a screw-threaded bolt which passes through. a plug pivotally secured to the end of the lever D and is provided above and below said plug with-set nuts, so that the connection of the pivotal devices 42 with the lever D may be adjusted vertically.

The bar G is held in position by guides or slides 26 and 27 in the framework 25 and has a free vertical movement. At the inner ends of the levers D and D are link connections and 41 with levers 91 and 92. At the shorter ends of the levers 91 and 92 and pivotally connected with each other are two levers E and E and at the pivotal connections of said levers is attached a short lever E, which is connected with a crank R, secured to and operated by a shaft F, which constitutes the main power-shaft'of the apparatus. At the outer or longer ends of the levers 91 and 92 are vertically-movable blocks or slides P and P mounted on a vertically-arranged shaft 28, secured in the rear of the frame 25 and with which the levers 91 and 92 are pivotally connected, and pivotally connected with said slides or blocks P and P are rods 10" and 10",which are also pivotally connected with a lever 10, pivotally supported at the top of the framework of the apparatus and over the shaft 28. We also provide fourstruts or levers Q, Q Q and Q two of which are connected at their inner ends with the upper slide or block P and the other two at their inner ends with the lower slide or block P the outer ends of the levers Q, Q Q and Q being pivotally connected with the vertically-arranged blocks P and P as clearly shown in Fig. 3.

Rigidly secured to the shaft 28 is a sleeve '43, to which are secured two pairs of laterally-directed rods Q Q Q and Q and the outer ends of these rods, which are arranged in pairs, pass loosely through the blocks P and P and secured to said blocks centrally thereof are inwardly-directed rods 44, the inner ends of which are secured to verticallyarranged cross-heads 45, through which the rods Q Q Q and Q pass, and said rods are provided with nuts R R R, and R and between these nuts and the cross-heads are placed strong spiral springs. The shaft 28 is screw-threaded at its upper and lower ends, as shown at at), and provided with nuts 47, whereby the position of the slides or blocks P and P may be regulated. When the slides or blocks P and P approach each other under pressure of the levers 91 and 92, the springs P, P P and P force the blocks P and P outwardly, and when this pressure is removed the said blocks are forced inwardly by the springs P, P P and P. lVe also provide a balance-weight O, as shown in Fig. 1, which is connected with a lever 0 and the lever O is pivotally supported at O and provided with a friction-roller 0 which bears on the lower end of the bar G, and this lever 0 and the weight 0 serve to balance the sliding bar G and the levers D and D and the dies 0 and C and this facilitates the operation of the apparatus, as hereinbefore described.

The lever 30 is pivotally supported at $8 and is provided with a head 49, which operates in connection with the lower end of the vertically-movable rod or shaft X, and this lever is also connected at 48 with an upright member, with which is connected at 50 a link 51, provided with aslot 52, through which passes a pin 53.

Power is applied to the shaft F by means of a wheel 20 and of the gearing, as shown at 21 in Fig. 4, or any other suitable means may be employed for this purpose. Attached to the shaft F is a cam K, which on coming in contact with the lever I" causes it to rise. This leverI is secured to a rocking shaft J, to which is also secured a lever 1 which is in turn connected with the slide-bar G by means of a rod H. Attached to the shaft F is another cam N, which operates the levers 1V and M and by means of the ratchet on the bar S, connected with the ratchet Z, turns the spindle V, which is attached thereto, the spindle V being secured to the boss 22, which carries the arms T, T T and T the said arms being rotated on the surface of the table A.

Secured to the shaft F is a crank R, to which is attached one end of the'lever E, the outer end of which is connected with one end of the levers E and E the other ends of which are attached to the levers 91 and 92, and as the shaft F revolves the crank R, by means of the levers E, E and E causes the ends of the levers D and D to which the levers IIO 91 and 92 are secured by means of links, to

approach and recede from each other alternately.

When the power is applied to the wheel 20, the shaft F is rotated by means of the gearwheels 21, and the cam K raises the lever I and also I by means of the shaft J. This raises the sliding rod G by means of the connecting-rod H, and at the same time the crank B. is revolved and forces the levers E, E and E backwardly, thus bringing the short ends of the levers 91 and 92 together, and by means of the link connections 40 and 41 the longer ends of levers D and D are also brought toward each other, and the levers D and D being pivoted to the sliding rod G their short ends consequently separate, thus widening the distance between the dies 0 and C the separation of said dies being greatest when the sliding bar G is at its extreme highest movement and the lever E E E at their extreme backward movement. Before the parts just described reach the last-named position the cam N forces the levers M and M upwardly, thereby operating the arm S, which is connected by the ratchet Z with the spindle V and causes said spindle V, boss 3, and arms T, T T and T to revolve.

The parts just described make one-quarter of a revolution each time the shaft F makes one complete revolution, and as the shaft F continues to turn the levers E, E and E approach their first position and the levers D and D are forced apart, thus bringing the dies 0 and C gradually near each other, and at the same time the cam K having passed the end of the lever 1 allows it and the sliding rod G connected therewith to drop to their lowest position, and the cam N having released the levers M and M there is nofurther rotation of the arms T, T T and T".

In practice the unpressed bricks or blocks are successively placed within the opening within the arms T and T in the position shown in Fig. 4, and one revolution of the shaft F turns the arms T, T T and T through one-quarter of a revolution, when another unpressed brick or block is placedin position the same as the first. The lever 30 is now actuated, which causes the piston X and disk 1 to rise, and thereby draws the wedges Y, Y Y and Y together, thus causing the arms T, T T and T, which are provided with the wedgeshaped members Y, Y Y and Y, to clutch the bricks or blocks. The shaft F making another revolution raises the bar G to the limit of its upward movement, thus causing the dies C and C to separate and the arms T, T T and T to revolve therein through another quarter of a revolu tion, thus bringing the first brick or block between the dies (1 and G The sliding bar G now descends and the dies carry the brick or block into the mold B through the opening in A. The lever 30 is released at this time, and the die 0 and C on the downward movement approach each other and the brick is pressed perfectly between said dies in said mold. As the bar G again rises the brick is also raised and the lever 30 is again operated, which causes two of the rotating arms to grasp the finished brick or block, and at the same time other arms grasp unpressed bricks, and as the said arms again revolve the finished or pressed brick is carried to a suitable conveyor, and the unfinished or unpressed brick is carried to a position to be operated on by the dies, as hereinbefore described, when the operator releases the foot-lever 30 and the finished brick is carried awayin any suitable manner or by any preferred means, and an unpressed brick is carried to the mold by the next downward movement of the bar G. Should any unpressed brick or block be too large, the danger of stopping the machinery and breaking the same would be great, and to overcome this danger parts of the apparatus already shown in Fig. and described are brought into use. The dies C and 0 not being enabled to approach each other, on account of the abnormal size of the brick, in the usual manner, and the levers E, E and E and the connecting parts still operating, the extra size of the brick is taken up by the long arms of the levers D and D pressing on the levers 91 and 92 and causing the long arms of said last-named levers to approach each other, at which time the rod 10, being drawn down by the block or slide P to which it is secured, draws the corresponding end of the lever 10 down, the other end of said lever rising, and thereby raising the rod 10 and block or slide P to which it is secured, and this operation gives the ends of the levers 91 and 92 a corresponding movement, neither moving faster than the other in either direction, and when the brick is pressed the parts shown in Fig. 3 and hereinbefore described operate to force the longerarms of the levers 91 and 92 back to their normal position, in which position they are ready for the next operation, as hereinbefore described.

The bar G and the levers D D are just suiiicient to bring the bar G down to its lowest position. The balance weight 0 is to make it easy for the cam K to lift the bar G, the levers D D and the dies C 0 thus lifting the brick out of the box and placing it between the grippers T, T T and Tfiwhich close upon the brick. Then the cam N raises the lever M, which is cast solid to the lever M thus pulling the ratchet Z around onequarter of a turn, said ratchet being connected to the sleeve V and boss 22 upon which the grippers are arranged, and thus the pressed brick is removed and another block placed over the mold B. The rod S is a conhector from the lever M to the ratchet Z. The lever M M is pivoted to side of frame at 50. The ratchet Z is four-toothed, and the part to which the rod S is connected is a loose ring, upon which is a spring and a steel catch, which comes in contact with the tooth of the ratchet. The lever M and the runner are made heavy enough to force the loose ring and the spring and catch back after the forward motion is completed.

The entire apparatus is simple in construction and operation and well adapted to accomplish the result for which it is intended, and changes in and modifications of the construction herein described may be made with out departing from the spirit of our invention or sacrificing its advantages.

Having fully described our invention, what we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A brick-pressing machine provided with a mold open at the top and bottom, a vertically-movable bar, two dies connected therewith and adapted to enter the mold from the top and bottom and means for preventing stoppage or breakage of the apparatus when too large a quantity of unpressed material is acted upon in the mold, consisting of levers in operation with said dies, supplemental levers connected therewith, and spring devices for regulating the force of the supplemental levers,said levers and said vertically-movable bar being in operative connection and operated by a main power-shaft.

2. In a brick-pressing machine of the class described provided with a mold open at the top and bottom, a verticallymovable bar, two dies connected therewith and adapted to enter said mold, and means for regulating the position of said dies; an operating-table provided with an opening in the side thereof adjacent to said mold, a plurality of arms rotatably and radially movable on said table, and means for regulating said arms, substantially as shown and described.

3. In a brick-pressing machine of the class described, provided with a mold open at the top and bottom, a vertically-movable bar, two dies connected therewith and adapted to enter said mold and means for regulating the position of said dies; an operating-table provided with an opening in the side thereof adjacent to said mold, a plurality of arms rotatably and radially movable on said table, a circular opening in the center of said table, a boss revolubly mounted therein, said arms being connected with said boss, a hollow spindle secured to said boss, a ratchet on said spindle, a bar in operative connection with said ratchet, a lever in operative connection with said bar, a power-shaft, a cam secured thereon and rotatable therewith and adapted to operate on said lever, and means for radially moving said arms, substantially as shown and described.

4. In a brick-pressing machine of the class described, provided with a mold open at the top and bottom, a vertically-movable bar,

two dies connected with said bar and adapted to enter said mold, and means for regulating the position of said dies; an operating-table with an opening in the side thereof adjacent to said mold, a plurality of arms rotatably and radially movable on said table, and said table being also provided with a circular opening, a boss revolubly mounted in said opening and in operative connection with said arms, a disk provided with a cup-shaped recess rotatable with said boss and having vertical movement therein, a spindle secured to said boss, wedge-shaped members secured to each of said arms and centrally thereof and engaging with the sides of the cup-shaped recess in said disk, a plurality of springs operating in connection with said arms, a rod secured to said disks and having vertical movement within said spindle and a lever operating on said vertically-movable rod, substantially as shown and described.

5. A brick-pressing machine of the class described, provided with a mold open at the top and bottom,a vertically-movable bar, and two dies in operative connection with said bar, and a lever provided with a weight at one end and at the other end with a friction-roller adapted to operate on the bottom of said bar, substantially as shown and described.

In testimony that we claim the foregoing as our invention We have signed our names, in presence of the subscribing witnesses, this 15th day of April, 1902.

ALBERT EDWARD BLIZZARD. HENRY TODD.

Witnesses:

FREDERICK BARRATT, JOHN HENRY GOPESTAKE. 

